Aspect Ratios and Why They Are Important

Woohoo! You did it! Your photo session is done, your digital files are downloaded, and you’re ready to print them! They are going to look so good on your walls.

Now you have to decide what size you want to print. The size you choose is called your aspect ratio. In really simple terms, it is the ratio of your height and width of your photo. Pretty simple, right? The photos you see in your gallery and the images you’ve downloaded are all a 4×6 aspect ratio. Like this:

Most cameras default to capturing images in a 4×6 ratio. This means they are 4 inches on one side and 6 inches on the other. If you shrink it down to 2×3 it would be exactly the same, just smaller. Enlarge it to 8×12, a 12×16, or even a 16×24 size print and you will have the same ratio.

But what if you want to print a different size?

Any other size print is going to change your image slightly because the ratio will be different. Part of your image won’t show. For example, a 5×7 is going to cut off a part of the long side of your image. It’s a very slight difference, but definitely there.

An 8×10 is going to cut off even more from the long side of your image.

Even though part of your total image is missing, have no fear! When I am taking your pictures, I always try to leave a little space around the sides. This way you can print your images at any size without cutting off the most important parts of your picture.

If you ever have questions or concerns about the aspect ratios of your images or have trouble deciding what sizes to get, I am always more than happy to help! I am with you to help through every part of your photographic experience!